Application of Screen Printing in Perovskite Solar Devices

Screen printing, a technology that deposits films in a dotted line connection, plays a pivotal role in advancing the transition of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) from laboratory research to large-scale industrial production for its simple operation and great material conservation. However, the manipulation of perovskite inks remains challenging during screen printing, as the underlying dynamic mechanisms are affected by various factors such as viscosity, solid content, thixotropy, drying time, and rheology, which call for in-depth investigation. Previous research also reveals certain limitations in the devices, including incomplete contact between the perovskite precursor solution and the scaffold, as well as the coffee ring effect. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the application of screen printing in the preparation of charge transport layers, perovskite active layers, and electrodes, which present challenges faced in the field of printed mesoporous PSCs, flexible PSCs, perovskite/c-Si tandem cells, and perovskite solar modules. Furthermore, this review summarizes the overarching trends and presents the emerging insights from the latest research. Finally, it is demonstrated that screen printing exhibits substantial potential for the low-cost fabrication of PSCs, especially when integrated with complementary technologies such as roll-to-roll manufacturing, automated robotic mesh deposition technique, and other relevant processes.